Clamping means for wall board or the like



May 24, 1927.

A. W. TYLER CLMPING MEANS FOR WALL BOARD 0R THE LIKE Jim Patented May 24, 1927.

UNITED STAA TES PATENT' OFFICE.

ALv W. TYLER,r or' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, As'sIGNOR To UNIVERSAL GYPSUM & LIME CO., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or DELAWARE CLAMPING MEAN-s FOR WALL ROARD OR THEV LIKE.

Application filed October 3, 1923.

This invention relates to clamping means for vertically suspending panels of material to be dried in kiln'cars or truck-s of the overhead type. It is concerned particularly With clamping mechanism 'for suspending in a vertical posi-tionwvall board or panels in an' undried state until the safme. is properly dried, such boards or panels having a plastic bo'dry which is of a Weak or soft nature.

1in clamping mechanism for thev purpose sta-ted, it is very desirable that t-he strips, which are clamped against the sides of the panels, do not mar or discolor the panels and' that they absorb the moisture from those' portions of ther panels actually engaged by the strips, or otherwise permit them to dry.l It has been fon-nd that Wooden' strips, for example, maple strips, have little tendencyv to mar or disc'olorthe panels and that they absorb considerable of the moisture' from that part of the panels actually engaged by them. `strips made entirely of Wood, however, quickly Warp ont of' shape and have to be replaced, or trued up' again before they can be used, which is a matter of considerable' expense and annoyance. One of the objects ot my invention, therefore, is the provision of a clamping strip so Constructe'dthat it Will be Wellk adapted for the purpose' and not Warp out of shape' even When-used for' a long period of time.

A lfurther object of my invention is the provision of clamping strips so constructed that they.Will permit the air to circulate freeiy between the suspendedl panels.

The invention consists in the novel constructions, arrangements and devices to be hereinafter described and claimed for carry,- ing` out the above stated objects and such other objects a's will appear' from the followdfescript'ioi'i of certain preferred embodiments illt'istrated in the accompanying drawing. wherein- Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a kiln equipped with mechanism embodying the principles of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vside elevational View', on an enlarged sca'l'e, of one of the clamping strips sho-wn Fig.' 1;y y

Fig. 3 is aplan View, also on an enlarged scale, of one of the clamping" strips;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View, on a further enflargedscslc, ofA one' endly of a fragmentary port-'in of one of the strips; Y

Fig. 5 isY af perspective view, similar to Fig.

Serial No. 666,393.

i, thel strip being broken at a diilerent place, however, to show certain additional teatures; and

Fig. 6l is a perspective View of a clamping strip of'moditied construction.

Like characters of reference designate like part-s in the several views.

Referringv now to the drawings and first to that embodiment of my invention which is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, it Will be seen that the longitudinally extending kiln 8 is provided with an overhead track 9 on Which a car 10 may be run, the car entering. or leaving the kiln from one end. The car is preferably provided with twoA spaced cross members 11 `from which the clamping` mechanism is suspended.

The cla-mping strips are double faced. Each strip comprises a pair of longitudinally extending channel irons 12 which are placed so that their respective channels 13 are on the outer sides. The channel irons 12 are held in spaced relation by a. plurality of pairs of U-shaped clips 14, thev ends 14a ot the clips being attached tothe sides of the channel irons in any desired manner, for example, by spot Welding. The extremities 14h of the clips are bent at right angles so that they extend inwardly over the channels 13.- F acer strips 15 of any suitable material, for example, maple Wood or compressed liber material, are placed in the respective chanA nels 1?), these strips having longitudinally extending grooves 15a provided in their respective sides which are adapted to receive the bent portions 14h of the respective top and bottom clips 14.

Thev clampingr strips are suspended at each end by inverted U-shaped clips 16, see Fig. 2, which are placed over the respective cross members 11 of the car. he ends of cach clip 16 are bent outwardly and are peritorated for the insertion of bolts 17. The bolts pass through a top strap 18, see Figs. 2 and '5, then down between the channel irons 12 and finally through a bottom strap 19. The ends of the straps 18 and 19 are preferably secured to the sides of the chan-- nel irons 1,2 in any desired manner, for ex'- ample, by spot Welding.

When the car is to be loaded, it is run out of the kiln. Some relatively stationary means is provided in association with the respective cross members 11 for the first panel 20 te be clamped against; said means in the present arrangen'ient constituting the end clips 16, see Fig. l, the nuts on the bolts 17 thereof being tightened securely. The nuts on the bolts of all the other clips are not turned on tightly, the other clips, theretore` being slidable on the respective cross members 11. After the tirst panel 2O has been properly positioned with one of its sides bearing against theinner :tace of the inner strip suspended by the end clips 16a, the clips 16b are moved over to bring the face ot' one of the clamping strips carried thereby against the other side of said panel, the clips 16b being held securely in place by a set of suitable tools, not shown. A panel 20a is now placed With one of its sides bearing against the face of the other strip carried by the clips 16b and then the clips 16C are moved over to bring the face of one of the clamping strips carried thereby against the other side of said panel 20a, the clips 16c being then held securely in place by another set of the tools mentioned above which, obviously, Will also serve to hold the clips 1Gb and the panel 20; whereupon the set of tools holding the clips 16" -may be removed. Likewise, the other panels and clips are successively placed and held in position, the two sets of tools being alternately set and released. When the car has been loaded in this manner the last set of clips 16d are secured in place Which may be done in any one of several Ways; in the present case the nuts on the bolts 17 holding said clips 16d are turned on tightly.

lt will be obvious that the facer strips 15 are securely held in the channels so thatthey cannot Warp or twist out of shape.I The surface bearing against the panels is maintained in an even, smooth and straight condition and the panels are not marred or appreciably marked. The construction is light in weight but rigid and durable. The strips may be relatively thin and, therefore, maximum capacity of the kiln is obtained. The spaced channel irons 12 permit the air to circulate `freely between the vertically suspended panels and thus all parts of the panels dry uniformly.

ln the modified clamping strip shown in Fig.A (i, the channel members 12a are placed so that their respective channels 13 tace each other. The channel members 122L are held in spaced relation by straps 18a and 19a which are perforated for the insertion of bolts, the manner of suspending the clamping strips being similar to that heretofore described. ln this form of my invention the backs of the channel members 12a bear directly against the panels. The channel members 12a are made of a material of such a nature that the panels are not stained or discolored or otherwise damaged. They may be made trom any suitable material, for example, non-corrodible metallic material or a compressed liber material. The backs ot the channels may be perforated to permit the air circulating between the panels to more ei'ectively dry those portions of the panels which are engaged by the strips. This form of strip is of strong construction and non-warping.

l do not intend to limit my invention to the details ot' construction shown and described, except only in so far as certain of the appended claims are specifically so limited, as it will be obvious that modifications may be made without departing from the principles ot' my invention.

I claim:

1. n clamping means for Wall board and similar material, a facer strip and nonwarpable supporting means for said strip.

2. In clamping means for wall board and similar material, a facer strip and an open non-Warpable frame for supporting said strip.

3. In clamping means for Wall board and similar material, the combination of a pair of longitudinally extending members, means to hold said members in spaced relation, and facer strips mounted on the outer sides of said respective members.

4. In clamping means of the class described, the combination of a pair of longitudinally extending channel members placed with the channels thereof on the outer sides, means to hold said members in spaced relation, and facer strips in said respective channels.

5. In clamping means of the class described, the combination of a pair of longitudinally extending channel members placed with the respective sides thereof extending outwardly, U-shaped clips attached to the outer sides of said members for holding said members in spaced relation, the extremities of said clips being bent at right angles and extending inwardly, and facer strips for each o said channels, the edges of said strips having grooves to receive they extremities of said clips.

6. In clamping means for Wall board and similar material, a wooden face-r strip and a metallic frame for supporting said strip.

'i'. In clamping means for Wall board and similar material, a wooden facer strip and an open metallic frame tor supporting said strip.

8. lu clamping means `tor wall. board and similar material, the combination of a pair of longitudinally extending metallic channel members placed with the channels thereof on the. outer sides. means to hold said mem` bers in spaced relation, and Wooden facer strips in said respective channels.

9.111 clampingmeans of the class described, the combination of a pair of longitudinally extending metallic channel members placed With the respective sides thereof Utl extending outwardly, U-shaped clips attached to the outer sid-es of said members for holding said members in spaced relation. the extremities ot said clips being bent at right angles and extending inwardly. and wooden facer strips tor said respective channels, the edges ot' said Strips havingY grooves to receive the extremities ot said clips.

lt). rl`he con'ibination with supporting; means tor n'all board and similar material of a plurality ot non-\varpable clamp strips tor engaging the sides ot the boar is. and means to attach said strips to said supportingl means.

1l. ln cinnbinationL with supportingmeans for wall board and similar material. ol e plurality' ot' pairs olI longitudinaily ext ing' members for engaging the sides ot' tf; boards, means to heid the members ot' each pair in spaced relation, and meansr to attach said members to :Mi'l supporting' means.

l2. The combination with supporting' means tor wall board and similar materi: ot a plurality ot lacer strips tor en .uaa'ina` the sides ot the boards. non-warped)le bacir ing means tor said respective strips, and means Yfor attachingv said backing mean.: to said supporting means.

13. The combination with supporting means for wall board and similar materia ot a plurality ot t'acer strips 'for engaging' the sides ot the boards. open non-Warpabie frames tor supporting said respective slr-ips, and means for attaching said trames to said supporting means.

lit. The combination with supp-omni;I means, ot a plurality ot' pairs ot longitudinally extending' members means to hold said members in spaced relation. facer strips mounted on the outer sides oi said respective members tor engaging` the sides ot wall board or the like, and n'ieans for attaching' said members to said supporting means.

l5. The combination with supporting means, of a plurality of pairs ot longitudinally extending channel members placed with the channels thereoic on the outer sider. means to hold said members in spaced relation. tacer strips mounted in said respective channels' t'or engaging the sides ot' wall board or the like. and means 'for attaching; said members to said supportingr means.

16. The combination with supporting means, of a plurality of pairs of longitudinally extending' channel members placed with the respective sides thereof extending outwardly. lJ-shaped clips attached to the einer sides of said members for holding said members in spaced relation. the extremities oi said clips being' bent at right angles and extei'iding' inwardly7 facer strips tor engag:n ingr the sides ot' Wall board or the like` the edges ot said strips having grooves to receive the extremities ot said clips. and means tor attaching said members to said supporting means.

l?. The combination with supporting means tor .vall board and similar material, ot' a plurality ot wooden facer strips t'or engaging' the sides ot` the boards, metallic trames for supportii'ig said respective strips, and means to attach said frames to said supportinf means.

i8. The combination with supporting means. t'or Wall board and similar i'naterial, ot' a plurality of wooden lacer strips tor en" fling' t7 le# oi the boards. open nnl.llic trames for supporting said respective strips. and means to attach said tames to said sumiortiim` means.

it). The combination with sulnLiorting means, ot a plurality ot' pairs of longitudinally extending metallic channel members placed with the channels thereof on the outer sides, means to hold said members in spaced relation. Wooden facer strips in said respective channels tor engaging the sides ot Wall board or the like. and means to attach said membe to said supporting means.

20. The combination 'ith supporting means. ot' a plurality of pairs ot longitudil nally extending metallic channel members placed with the respective sides thereof extending outwardly, U-shaped clips attached to the outer sides ot said members tor holdin;y said members in spaced relation, the extremities ot said clips beinzei bent at rig-ht angles and extending; inwardly, Wooden facer strips tor said respective channels, the edges of said stri is having grooves to receive the extremities of said clips, and means to attach said member to said supportiimr means.

ALVA lV. TYLER.

i nu 

